In addition to the hard copy edition that is sent to members through the mail, the Feb. 20 edition of the Lawyers Journal — the ACBA’s flagship publication featuring substantive legal articles and stories of interest to the legal community — is available digitally on the ACBA website and at the button below.

The Pennsylvania Statewide High School Mock Trial Competition – presented by the ACBA and the Pa. Bar Association – is underway, and additional dates have been opened for volunteer participation for a weather makeup day, an elimination round to get to the final eight teams, a semi-final round for those eight teams, and finals that will determine the two teams which will represent Allegheny County at the state competition. ACBA members are asked to volunteer to be a scoring juror or a presiding judge for the competition. Volunteers do not need to be a litigation attorney to participate, and prior experience is not needed. Volunteers need to arrive at the City-County Building by 4:45 p.m. With enough volunteers on Feb. 26 and March 3, volunteers will only be needed to judge one trial (4:45 p.m. to 7 p.m.) rather than the typical back-to-back trials.

• Thursday, Feb. 19 – Weather makeup day
• Thursday, Feb. 26 – Elimination round
• Tuesday, March 3 – Semifinals
• Thursday, March 5 – Finals

For additional information, contact Julie Brennan at jbrennan@pionlaw.com.

The ACBA Partners at 8am LawPay help attorneys get paid faster. The legal industry’s leading credit card processing service, 8am LawPay helps firm collect credit card, debit card, eCheck and other forms of payments. It integrates with QuickBooks and all major practice management platforms, and automatically keeps you in IOLTA compliance. ACBA members get three free months.

Check out the quarterly report from JLL on the Pittsburgh office market, below. Highlights include:

• Pittsburgh’s office market in Q4 2025 saw stable average rents, sustained Class A premiums, and rising vacancy, particularly for urban and Class B CBD properties.
• Suburban areas posted positive absorption, while conversions and rightsizing drove overall market contraction downtown.
• Available leasable space declined by 150 basis points since Q1 2025, signaling potential for future stabilization as obsolete buildings continue to be withdrawn from the market.
• Leasing featured long-term renewals, expansions and relocations. Rising defaults among downtown Class B assets may prompt additional conversions, while transactions like the Station Square acquisition show continued investor interest in redevelopment.

Interested in getting involved in ACBA leadership? The ACBA Nominating Committee is seeking candidates to run for President-Elect and Treasurer, as well as members interested in running for spots on the Board of Governors and the Judiciary Committee. Terms begin July 1, 2026 and the deadline to submit a candidate application is next Friday, Feb. 27. For more information on the process, requirements and more, click below.

The Canine First Aid program that was scheduled for Jan. 14 has been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 3 at 12:15 p.m. in the Koppers Building. In this non-CLE program, learn the essential skills needed to respond in an emergency and help save your dog from pain, suffering, or even death. Led by a former Special Prosecutor for Animal Cruelty with extensive experience in animal rescue and triage, attendees will learn practical techniques for stabilizing and treating an animal while quickly seeking veterinary care.

The Kennedy T. Friend Scholarship Fund was established by the will of Kennedy T. Friend, a distinguished member of the ACBA who passed in London, England in 1929. Any child of an attorney who is a member of the Allegheny County Bar and has an active practice in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, is eligible for this scholarship if they choose to attend Yale University or the successor schools of the University of Paris.

Wellness is crucial, especially for those battling the stresses and challenges that come with the legal profession. To recognize the importance of mental health and well-being in the legal profession, the ACBA has created “Wellness Circles” for members, a vision of ACBA President and cancer survivor Amy Coco. ACBA members can self-select and opt into wellness circles, providing a confidential, supportive space to connect with colleagues, share experiences and focus on well-being.

Currently there are five Wellness Circles, which are listed below. Members are welcome to suggest ideas for additional Wellness Circles. For more details, FAQs and other information, click the button below.

• Attorneys who Run
• Parenting Children with Disabilities
• Cancer Survivors
• Family Support – Mental Health/Addiction
• Sandwich Generation

The Pennsylvania Statewide High School Mock Trial Competition – presented by the ACBA and the Pa. Bar Association – is underway, and additional dates have been opened for volunteer participation for a weather makeup day, an elimination round to get to the final eight teams, a semi-final round for those eight teams, and finals that will determine the two teams which will represent Allegheny County at the state competition. ACBA members are asked to volunteer to be a scoring juror or a presiding judge for the competition. Volunteers do not need to be a litigation attorney to participate, and prior experience is not needed. Volunteers need to arrive at the City-County Building by 4:45 p.m. With enough volunteers on Feb. 26 and March 3, volunteers will only be needed to judge one trial (4:45 p.m. to 7 p.m.) rather than the typical back-to-back trials.

• Thursday, Feb.  19 – weather makeup day
• Thursday, Feb. 26 – elimination round
• Tuesday March 3 – Semifinals
• Thursday March 5 - Finals

For additional information, contact Julie Brennan at jbrennan@pionlaw.com.

The ACBA Knowledge Center is the premier resource library for legal professionals. Explore this library of content and resources from the ACBA, as well as experts and providers across the legal industry. These resources include timely, actionable research from the ACBA as well as third-party resources that are designed to be helpful to your organization.